Coding Culture

Course Description

The dichotomy between technology and culture is vanishing in a society that recognizes more and more the fact that culture and technology are deeply intertwined. Computer technology and software have a big impact on cultural practices, and at the same time cultural discourses on technology are shaping the construction of technical artefacts. The aim of this course is to study the mutual influences between technology, culture and artefacts. The students will be divided into two groups. The students will investigate the agency of technology in the information society. The Actor Network Theory and Latour's notion of the 'thing' will be used to map and revisit the relations between artefacts (technology) and developers and users (culture). Based on existing literature on the subject, students will explore the following themes:

The medium specific characteristics of computer technology and software

The agency of computers, software and protocols

Connections and influences between artefacts, developers and users

The parliament of things (Latour) for the information society

Course Objectives

Students will learn to differentiate different approaches to describe and research technology. By reading literature from the field of Science and Technology Studies (S+TS) with special focus upon Actor Network Theory (ANT) students will obtain the terminology and methods of this field and be able to apply them to their own research. They will develop a balanced understanding towards the "nature" of technology and its socio-political denotation.

Deadlines:

Assignments are due to every Friday 12:00, posted to the discussion forum on the course's website (do not post attachments).

Presentations are due to the Friday before. Students presenting in Monday's class meetings have attend the consultation hour on Friday (13:00-15:00).

Final paper is due to 26th January 2007; 12:00 in the courses pigeon hole on the first floor at KNG 29 and by e-mail to mirko [dot] schaefer [at] let.uu.nl as rtf, txt or doc; (individual works only; group papers are not admitted).